2020 has been a year of uncertainties, questions, struggles, and many challenges. To say that it has affected everyone globally is an understatement. Families and individuals needed to deal with change after change in a time of crisis. As this pandemic has brought changes that caused stress to grown-ups, we can just imagine the distress that young minds must be dealing with. How do you explain big words to the little ones? How do you simplify words like virus, quarantine, physical distancing to them? More so, how do you explain deaths to a mind that can only understand so much? And more importantly, how do you plant seeds of hope when the world only shows hopelessness and helplessness?
CSM Publishing’s Hope Bearer: Lessons of Hope and Courage in Times of Crisis and Change is a useful tool for us to effectively guide the next generation to live with confidence in Christ, in the midst of a global crisis. The Sunday school curriculum, for children ages 4 to 12, consists of 30 Bible lessons that are easy to follow, by both teachers and parents alike. Its design is suitable for physical classes with small groups, home-based learning, or even online setup. The format of the material is simple and straightforward. It requires minimal to no previous teaching experience. Links to songs, videos, and activities are provided and can be downloaded and used instantly. Objectives for each lesson are well-written, clear and concise. Hope Bearer draws both the teacher and the children back to Scripture – looking into stories from the Bible, and reflecting on how it can be applied in their lives. It engages the head, hands and heart of each child.
Hope Bearer is divided into two main parts – the first five units seek to work in the child’s heart, assuring him of who God is; the last five units seek to work through the child, enabling him to be salt and light in a dark and seemingly hopeless world.
The curriculum begins with an acknowledgement that the world we are living in is full of uncertainties. It opens the eyes of the child to the reality of the circumstance we are in, and then it draws him back to the Scripture, and to fix his eyes on God. It touches on God being our Maker, Sustainer, Hope, Future, and Redeemer. It highlights how powerful God is, that no earthly crisis is beyond His knowledge. It expounds on how God is our Helper, Healer, and Provider. Hunger, sickness, fear, pain, or death cannot snatch us away from God’s hands. God is our Good Shepherd, even when family and friends are distant, and scary situations are at hand, He is always with us and near us. Just imagine how God is the all-powerful One, and yet He cares about our most trivial needs.
After gaining a solid understanding of who God is, the child is now encouraged to act and bear fruit. It touches on obeying God – how obedience brings rewards, and how obedience in itself is the reward, and how disobedience results to consequences, not only to oneself, but even to the people around. It teaches on valuing what is important –life, family, and storing treasures in heaven. It opens the eyes of the little ones, young as they are, to investing on what matters in eternity. It moves to showing God’s love to others – loving fellow believers, people in need, and even those who are deemed unimportant by the society. It closes with valuable lessons on praying for each other, our leaders, and our country, and sharing the good news of salvation, eternal life, and of Jesus’ coming again.
Hope Bearer uses a combination of Old and New Testament narratives, psalms, and discourse passages to instill love for God’s Word. It demonstrates the timely and timeless nature of Scripture, in that though it was written many years ago, it remains to be the most powerful and relevant book. Though its main goal is to serve as a tool for parents and teachers to teach their children, it also acts as a tool that minister to the young at heart, reminding us to hope in Him, to take courage, because even in an uncertain time, God’s love and grace remains constant. We, who are in Him, are called to be hope bearers!
When a Teacher Writes 